The Australian Greens want the government to pay for people to import a HIV prevention drug that has failed to receive taxpayer subsidisation.
Truvada - a once-daily pill that costs around $750 a month and is aimed at preventing HIV transmission - was rejected for listing on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
The Department Of Health said the price requested by the drugmaker, Gilead Sciences, was too high and it was not feasible to limit the drug to a smaller, high-risk subset of the whole "at risk" population.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale wants a compromise of some sort from the government, including funding for personal importation.
"It costs an individual about $1200 each year to import this medication, which simply isn't possible for many Australians who are at risk of HIV transmission," he said.
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"We simply cannot leave Australians at unnecessary risk, when this drug gives us the chance to end HIV transmission in Australia."
